Morning all.
The Sun have a big headline followed by a big claim about Man City. I’ll leave you to read it for yourselves and form your own opinion about it’s validity.
Euros 2024:
Having been overlooked by Didier Dechamps for quite a while, William Saliba is now enjoying a strong Euros tournament with France. If you are a stats fan, (no, I’m not either) his have been very good out in Germany. I read he misplaced just one pass during the match against Netherlands which as an Arsenal fan, comes as no surprise. If anything, one pass astray is very unlike our Rolls Royce of the defender world.
I want to win everything with Arsenal,” Saliba told the Premier League website. “I want to become a legend here, and with the national team as well.”
The way he’s going, his wish might come true sooner than he thinks as I think the Arsenal fans already know he’s a fantastic player. Possibly one of the best, if not the best defender we’ve had since Sol Campbell was snapped up from the neighbours. Gabriel too and together, they have been at the heart of all things good about this current Arsenal team. Obviously Ben White is right up with them too but it’s a left back where there’s been a slight weakness. A weakness which with everything crossed, Jurrien Timber will put an end to.
England’s shoddy performance against Denmark has resulted in a number of players being criticised. Declan Rice is one of the them after what probably one of the worst performances I’ve ever seen from him in an England shirt. Apparently, he’s overrated according to James McClean but thankfully, most sensible people know different. None of the England players are underrated really because for the past ten months, they’ve been doing a great job for their respective clubs but put them together under a manager who comes across like a bank manager rather than an international football manager – well, it’s not really working is it? Maybe England are just warming up and the best is yet to come. Lol
Back at Arsenal, the links to ex Coventry City striker Viktor Gyokeres seem to be gathering pace but whether that’s because there’s more to the story than at first or just the original rumour repeated over and over again, who knows but as always, until a signing is announced by Arsenal, there’s little point in getting our hopes up or wondering why on earth Arsenal are in for any particular player. Arsenal’s record of signings since Edu and Arteta joined the club has been pretty good. Certainly with the so called big named players. The days of hoping someone, anyone is signed on deadline day, is a thing of the past. I also think agent driven signings are a thing of the past too as I’m sure the club now go for who it wants rather than a player who is dangled under their chin. Metaphorically speaking of course.
That’s why I don’t believe 99% of the stuff which can be found in the back pages because I’m pretty sure in many cases, a players agent has kick started the story either in hope of a new contract with his current club or to raise the profile and transfer fee. After all, the more a players sells for, the more an agent will earn.
Gyokeres might end up at Arsenal but he might not but bearing in mind those who write the stories in the first place don’t even know which positions Arsenal are looking to strengthen in then they certainly won’t know who that player(s) is…
Catch up in the comments.
I thought that Declan looked knackered by the sixtieth minute, no surprise there of course, with the failure of the entire team to press it was Rice who spent the game fire fighting in front of the our beleaguered defence and that was after playing every minute of the two previous games as well as the two “experimental” friendlies.
Now that the bank manager has acknowledged his cock-eyed experiment of playing a right back in central midfield has totally failed, Declan will be asked to play another ninety minutes on Tuesday.
Did I miss some stats Rico. 😉
Ha ha Cicero, I thought I did.
I’m not surprised these players are knackered, they’ve all just played ten months of football. They’re only human but as far as England go, they’re just not working as a team imo.
Chris Jordan 👏 4 wickets, no runs from 5 balls including a hat trick…
Mr Crystal Palace handbrake played Rice in those dumb March friendlies leading to a dip in his club form in early April too.
That’s the problem with international managers, seldom do they think about club football.
Perhaps if Southgate had used the friendly matches better, he’d have found a proper midfielder to partner Rice instead of throwing Alexander-Arnold in there to fail and be unfairly battered by the media.
Good afternoon Rico and all
Good points in your post.
The England team system is totally different than Arsenal/Liverpool team system but is very similar to the WHU tactical system.
At Arsenal and Liverpool the system is 4-3-3 with the central midfielder staying defensive while the number 6 is a box to box and the number 8 operates slightly more forward. The England/WHU system is a 4-2-3-1 system with two DM and one AM. Rice and Trent stay defensive while Bellingham is free to roam forward in the former number 10 position.
A few months ago Rice himself said he suffered in the WHU system because he was asked to be a DM and not going further upfield. At Arsenal he is playing much better now because the ARsenal system is a 4-3-3 going to what seems to be a 4-1-2-3 system. Trent and Rice are asked to share the DM duties for whom both of which dont like and find it difficlt.
That is why the problem is Southgate.
Imo Trent is a very good player who can be tasked to stay in front of the defence while allowing Rice to go forward and support Bellingham.
The system as it is makes Trent appear like a square peg in a round hole, Rice appear inneffective and suddenly the engine room seems without oil.
Rice is asked to be reactive while at Arsenal he is ProActive.
I hope I explained it well.
Butler with five sixes in one over help to a win by ten wickets against U S A.
Afternoon Devil, hopefully by now the FA have come to the same conclusion.
It was great to watch Cicero, even if T20 isn’t proper cricket 😜
You have to wonder why they thought it a good idea to put solar panels on the roof of the stand!
I thought the same, bonkers in this day and age. How many did Jos break, three?
I think you should get an extra run for every panel smashed. 😉
Ha ha, nice idea..
Hoping for a Windies win later..
Aw shucks, Scotland knocked out. Never mind there’s always another tournament coming up, maybe the Jocks will get out of the knock-out round in 2026……..or 2030. 😉
I don’t know which was better, Jordan’s five wickets in the last over or Butlers five sixes to win in the ninth over.
The skirll o the pipes will no maire be heered in Germany the noo. Och aye, guied neet t ye all.
Or a Hungarian goal on the 100 minute mark… I think Buttler and Jordan were about even. Rashid too, albeit less swashbuckling…
South Africa waltzing it they need 34 from 6 overs with 6 wickets remaining.
Duckworth Lewis nearly made it interesting though…
India v England it is then…
Morning Cicero, all.
Morning Rico and observers
No more Tartan Army, no more Scotland the brave bullshit from the media, thank heavens…
Interesting how the media whitewash any bad behaviour by the Scotland fans and exaggerate the same if England are involved.
Interesting but not surprising.
Karl Hein signs contract extension, as I said the other day looks like Ramsdale number is up.
Interesting how the media whitewash any bad behaviour by the Scotland fans and exaggerate the same if England are involved.
So it ever was.
Hi Kev..
I’m staying quiet re the Scots, I don’t want to ban myself. lol
Had a feeling Hein might stay but I think he’s heading out on loan.
Good afternoon everyone
The media will always have their agenda Kev. We only know so well especially where Arsenal are concerned. The same goes for English and Scottish supporters or any other supporters.
As has been pointed out earlier Hein has signed a new contract. I agree that he needs to be loaned….but imo to a club which will play him week in week out.
Dovbyk and Merino have been mentioned now. I have simply given up counting the number of players we are supposed to sign. cant even play the lotto with the numbers. lol
Alan Smith had this to say, ‘I think there are several players at Arsenal that must move on for the good of their careers. Aaron Ramsdale does not want to be sitting on the bench all season again, does he? He’s said as much in a recent interview. Ramsdale is good enough to occupy the number one spot in the Premier League for somebody, whether it’s a top four club is another matter.
‘Eddie Nketiah used to get 20 minutes quite regularly the season before this one, but since Kai Havertz has come in, that’s not happening anymore. It’s a shame for him because I do like him. He’s come through the ranks and he’s a good finisher but with so little game time I’m sure now he’ll want to start really getting his career going.
‘Reiss Nelson is in a very similar situation. He needs to be playing regularly now. From Arsenal’s point of view, it is an advantage to sell home-grown players because these youth team players can command good fees that, as we know with the financial regulations, are regarded as pure profit because they come through the academy.’
This will eventually become a classic. But for now its hilarious. Whoever did this is an IT genius
https://www.facebook.com/reel/450092697882124
Alan Smith is right. The likes of Smith-Rowe, Nelson and Nketiah need to go and play football. All three have so much talent to offer the right team.
New post up.